Has anyone bought this River Island dress? It's been a disaster for me and I need advice!

[KittytheHare]

I bought this dress (from River Island directly but couldn't find exact link). Loved it for the first five minutes until it started moulting in the most ridiculous way. I wore it to a party and was honestly embarrassed by end of the night. There was a significant trail of feathers left in my wake everywhere I went.
I can understand a couple of feathers shedding, but this was extreme and has put me off ever wearing it again.
I brought it back tothe store, saying it was faulty/flawed and essentially unwearable, only to be told that the dress was perfect and that's what is to be expected with this style. According to the manager, apparently, no one else has experienced any problems. She gave me the address of the UK office to complain to (I'm in Ireland) and I will contact them, but before I do, I'm keen to to some background investigation to see if anyone else has had this problem.

https://www.riverisland.com/ie/p/petite-black-velvet-feather-hem-shift-dress-917189

I have worn a few. They haven't moulted to that extent though!.

I do have an M&S dress with those feathers round the bottom which moults if I even look at it... I bought it from Ebay quite cheaply though so I have kept it for the time I want to play a dying swan in a cosplay event. Or something.

I do not think £80 is cheap OP and I would have expected better but past experience with the M&S dress has put me off feathers on clothing.

OH! Why does typing M&S fabricate an instant link that I did NOT want?

Does this magical link work with Topshop? Oasis? River Island? Greggs? etc

Edited to add that no, no that magical fairy link doesn't happen with alternative retailers.

Marks, is what I type now after seeing someone else do so.

Are they real feathers??? Gross!

Me neither

River island is shockingly poor quality these days

Definitely doesn’t sound fit for purpose OP. Of anyone comes out with the, no one else has had problems with it , argument, I reply that, nevertheless, I nave problems with it and would like a refund

£80 isn't cheap for a high street dress, so yeah that's super frustrating.

I bought some sandals from RI last year, took them on hols and they snapped within days. They're charging a lot for low quality items it seems.

Not to derail, but what's Beaujolais Day?!

I had a sparkly sequin rainbow top from river island a couple of years ago with black feathers all around the bottom and my god I had exactly the same problem - I couldn't believe how many feathers fell off during the night and I too left a trail behind me! I thought it was just me/bad luck!
I've never worn it again! Although still have it in my wardrobe for some reason!

Nope. Feathers are nearly always real, it's too hard to make fake ones. Have a read here
https://foundfeathers.org/2019/08/29/craft-store-feathers/#:~:text=Feathers%20Are%20Almost%20Always%20Real.&text=100%25%20of%20the%20time%2C%20unless,feathers%20on%20a%20large%20scale.

I bought two dresses from RI over the summer after not having bought anything in there for about 15 years. They both shrunk horrendously after the first wash and were returned. Not impressed!

I haven't bought anything from that shop since it was called Chelsea Girl. Sounds like terrible service. Try emailing Custome Services.

Yes it's faulty. You need to speak to head office and make a complaint

Yes it's faulty you need to speak to head office and make a complaint

Try a different branch and tell the if u wear it again there will be no feathers and even more faulty

Not cheap in my book either 💶💷

That description of the gum-chewing manager alone has my back up. I can just see her bored, stop wasting my time expression - ugh.

I had one of those once who refused a refund even though my item was clearly faulty. I went back (spitting feathers!) an hour later and saw someone more senior who immediately agreed my request (in front of the gum chewer). It was immensely satisfying!

Hope you get it sorted.

Hope you get a refund OP. I'd love to know if the feathers are real? Gosh in this day and age I would presume and hope that they are fake 😕
If you don't get a refund try spraying it with hairspray. (Sounds like you may need a whole bottle )I've done it before for things that shed glitter and it worked.

Reading the phrase feather boa so many times in this thread has made me realise for the first time that boa refers to the snake. It's a feather snake.

The OP is in Ireland so quoting UK consumer law is not really going to help her.

Be very, very careful spraying things like hairspray on a dress. Stay well away from anyone smoking.

I think River Island is owned by Boohoo now. Might explain any drop in quality...

I wouldn't dream of washing anything with the feathers, I reckon they are relatively easy to detach, at least they were on the cardi I had once. Minor hassle but easy enough.

And if OP is stuck with the dress, it would be worth attaching them better after the wash.

My sexy Santa outfit from a dim and distant past also had detachable feathers ...

Think the feathers will be fake, it's just badly made and important of all, ' not fit for the purpose ' Definitely hold out for a refund.

Spitting feathers means very thirsty, doesn't it?!